SWCDS RALLY AT ILLINOIS STATE FAIR IN SUPPORT OF SB744

Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others from the state of Illinois descended on the State Fairgrounds in Springfield to show the Governor they support the gaming expansion Senate Bill 744; ultimately a job creation/preservation bill which, if signed by the governor, would provide stable funding for their day to day operations and conservation cost share programs. The Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA), Illinois Association of County Fairs, and others organized the event and printed bright orange t-shirts with the slogan, “Governor, Please Sign SB744” printed on the back in dark bold letters.

Once the event began the lawn was covered in a sea of orange. There were other groups wearing brightly colored t-shirts but those in support of SB744 stood out from the crowd. Reporters and staffers from the governor’s office were pulling orange clad participants to the side asking them questions. If the staffers didn’t know about SWCDs before the rally, they certainly did afterward. A key theme in many of the interviews was that signing of this bill would remove several agricultural based programs from the general revenue fund and would do so without raising taxes. In a time of fiscal dilemma this bill would save our taxpayers money while providing core services in protecting sites from erosion, improving water quality, and increasing fertility of croplands.

Other conservation programs that stand to benefit from the bill include County Fairs, U of I Cooperative Extension, Forestry, and CFAR (an ag innovation grant program). Please contact the governor’s office and tell them you support SB744!